Latest Independent Agencies Headlines

All the headlines from our Independent Agencies Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Former Mo. Big ‘I’ Leader Appointed Insurance Director

Jan 20 2005 // Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt announced the appointment of W. Dale Finke to head the Missouri Department of Insurance. Finke is CEO and president of Corporate Insurance Management in St. Louis. He was president of the Missouri...

Big ‘I’ Study Shows Growth in Premium, Market Share

Jan 19 2005 // The overall property/casualty market grew 9.5 percent in 2003, and independent agents and brokers produced 59.4 percent of this market, according to “The 2003 Property Casualty Insurance Market” report recently...

Impact of Conn. Franchise Ruling May Not Be as Big on Insurance Agents as Claimed

Jan 10 2005 // A recent $2.3 million jury verdict for wrongful termination in favor of a former Nationwide Insurance contract agent from Connecticut is unlikely to have any effect on independent agents or their companies, according to...

IIAT to Host Joe Vincent Management Seminar, Legislative Day Jan. 30-Feb. 1

Jan 6 2005 // The Independent Insurance Agents of Texas announced that more than 400 of the state’s top independent agency principals and managers will gather for IIAT’s 42nd Annual Joe Vincent Management Seminar and Big I...

Impact on Other Agents of Conn. Verdict Against Nationwide Doubted

Jan 3 2005 // A recent $2.3 million jury verdict for wrongful termination in favor of a former Nationwide Insurance contract agent from Connecticut is unlikely to have any effect on independent agents or their companies, according to...

Focus on the Future: Come 2014, Industry Should Look Very Familiar

Jan 3 2005 // Ten years from now, some of the players within the property/casualty insurance industry will have changed but the industry itself will not look dramatically different from what it is today: Smaller companies and...

Millions of families have wrong insurance coverage

Jan 2 2005 // Trusted Choice survey shows consumers remain underinsured for major life, work events At least 32 million U.S. households own insurance policies that aren’t right for them, a new national survey conducted by...

Big ‘I’ Recognizes NAIC Efforts, Seeks Further Clarity

Dec 30 2004 // The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I”) on Wednesday credited the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ (NAIC) for its hard work on a compensation disclosure...

IIAT SAYS HOMEOWNERS RATES DOWN:

Dec 20 2004 // Homeowners who buy insurance from independent insurance agents in Texas should be seeing lower premiums and better coverages, according to a survey conducted by the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas of its 1,800-member...

Jury Backs $2.3 Million Award to Terminated Independent Agent; Nationwide to Challenge Verdict

Dec 17 2004 // An eight person jury in the United States District Court in Connecticut awarded $2.3 million in compensatory damages to an independent insurance agent in a decision expected to have serious ramifications on the...

For Mass. Insurance Agents, AG Reilly No Ally

Dec 14 2004 // Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly, who is expected to run for governor, has a history of making life difficult for the state’s independent insurance agents. Last week, the Massachusetts Association of...

Progressive Takes ‘Drive’ Online

Dec 13 2004 // The Progressive group of companies has announced the debut of its newest Web site, driveinsurance.com, highlighting the important role that independent agents and brokers play in Progressive’s business model. Drive...

Big ‘I’ Backs NAIC Compensation Disclosure Amendment

Dec 9 2004 // The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America announced that it supports the stated goals and objectives of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ (NAIC) compensation disclosure amendment,...

New Agents Council for Technology Report Outlines Recommendations for Privacy Policies

Dec 7 2004 // As Americans become increasingly concerned about the privacy of their health and personal information, independent insurance agents and brokers must make safeguarding private client information a specific focus within...

Canter Says State, Federal Regs Are Detrimental

Dec 7 2004 // More than 120 firms participated in the Big “I” exhibit During my term we have made numerous advances, I couldn’t have done any of them without the help of the Executive Committee and dedicated...

SPITZER TAKES COMPENSATION PROBE TO WASHINGTON

Dec 6 2004 // Senate Panel Wants In, Agents Want Out of Brokerage Scandal At recent Senate hearings in Washington called to follow-up on allegations of bid rigging and hidden compensation by Marsh and other large insurance brokers,...

For Mass. Independent Agents, State Attorney General Reilly is No Ally

Dec 6 2004 // Even as Massachusetts tackles the challenge of making the state’s private passenger auto system more like that in other states (see story page 18), independent insurance agents must continue to play by the...

FOCUS ON THE FUTURE: Come 2014, Industry Should Look Very Familiar

Dec 6 2004 // Ten years from now, some of the players within the property casualty insurance industry will have changed but the industry itself will not look dramatically different from what it is today: Smaller companies and...

IIAT Reports Homeowners Rates Down in Texas, Coverage Improved

Dec 3 2004 // Homeowners who buy insurance from independent insurance agents in Texas should be seeing lower premiums and better coverages, according to the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas. The claim is based on results of a...

Maine, N.H., Vt. Rules May Spur Attorney Competition

Dec 3 2004 // For Conn. Agents, Concern Over Privacy in Disclosure The ongoing investigation of brokerage commissions and alleged bid-rigging that started in New York is being felt everywhere, nowhere more so than neighboring...